


Play Along and Kiss Me

by heartsyhawk



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Alcohol, Blue Hawke, Canon Compliant, Canon Dialogue, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, First Kiss, Making Out, kissing strangers in bars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-13
Updated: 2017-04-13
Packaged: 2018-10-18 07:54:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10612527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartsyhawk/pseuds/heartsyhawk
Summary: [Isabela] leaned in closer to Hawke conversationally. "I can explain later, but if you play along and kiss me right now it'd be a huge favor to me. I'll pay you a sovereign for it."





	

**Author's Note:**

> As ever this was beta'd by the lovely [Sailorlotus](http://archiveofourown.org/users/sailorlotus) and any remaining mistakes, and I am sure there are some, are entirely on me.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Age and am making no money off playing with the characters. Any characters, setting, or dialogue you recognize belongs to Bioware, EA games, and the Dragon Age creative team, except for that one line I hijacked from Disney's Hercules.

Hawke tossed open the door to The Hanged Man with more force than was strictly necessary. It had been a damn long day, and she needed a drink like she never had before.

Last week, Carver had approached her with suspicions about their uncle and what had really happened with the estate and money. Normally she would have dismissed the whole thing as paranoia, but Gamlen really had been too cagey about the entire situation, especially when Mother asked questions. So she and Carver had decided to sneak into the mansion through the basement to see if Grandfather's will was still in the family vault. That way at least Mother could see it for herself and have some closure.

After several days of watching the Hightown manor and learning the comings and goings of the mansions current residents, she and Carver had finally figured out a pattern for when their plan could best be put into action. Tomorrow night, there was going to be significantly fewer slavers in the mansion than usual and they could get in and out fairly easily. Naturally, she had also given Aveline and the guardsmen the location of where the missing members of the slaver company would be instead, because interrupting their operations seemed a reasonable bonus.

To pass the time today, they'd picked up a job dealing with a team of mercenaries from a Chantry brother. The complete annihilation of the entire company seemed a little blood thirsty to have come off the Chanter's Board, but Hawke certainly understood the man’s grief at losing his whole family. She and Carver had only been in the area to take the job in the first place because they had attended the morning service to light a candle for Bethany; the crocuses and snowdrops had bloomed today for the first time, and when she was alive it was always one of her favorite days all year. If she and Carver were offered a means of ending the darkspawn forever, she was fairly positive they wouldn’t pass it up, regardless of how horrible it actually was.

The mercenaries had been easy enough to find. Hawke, Carver, Varric and Aveline had caught them by surprise and killed the lot of them with relative ease. She was concerned with how un-bothered she was by the bloodshed these days, but dwelling on that wouldn't help anything. After they collected their reward and left the Chantry brother to mourn and grieve and deal with the reality of his situation, Varric had invited them all back to The Hanged Man for drinks on him and maybe a hand or two of Diamondback.

Maybe he was just being nice, or maybe he wanted to do something--anything--to channel Hawke’s nerves or keep her from doing something stupid or destructive with her frustration, grief, and restlessness, but whatever the case, she was in no mood to refuse a free drink. Varric didn't tend to accept no as an answer anyway, and when he'd told her he was buying, he'd casually mentioned that he thought the stew smelled particularly edible today and she might as well try that too, so she was pretty sure he'd noticed she hadn't been eating as regularly as she should be.

As the group started to approach Corff’s bar, she noticed there was a woman she didn't recognize drinking at the counter. Hawke had just enough time to notice she was gorgeous and had amazing, strong, bare legs that went on just about forever before a group of heavily muscled thugs stepped up to her.

Hawke tensed and shrugged her staff off her shoulder and moved into a battle stance close to the bar, ready to help if needed. It turned out to be an entirely moot point however because by the time her staff was in hand and she was reaching into the fade to cast, the woman had subdued the goon who grabbed her and was making short work of his friends. Not even two whole minutes had passed from the guys approaching to crawling away soundly beaten. Hawke's jaw hung open. The woman knocked back the rest of her drink with a satisfied smirk and Hawke fell a little bit in love right then and there.

"You're new around here," she raised an eyebrow when she noticed Hawke, who nodded in agreement. The woman dragged her eyes appreciatively over Hawke's body before returning to her face with a grin. "Welcome. And keep your wits about you. You’re nothing but tits and ass to the men in this place. And they won't hesitate to grab at both."

"Ah, good to know," Hawke nodded again. "I'll be careful."

"See that you do, Sweet Thing," the woman gestured toward Corff to bring her another drink. "Anyway, I'm--Oh fuck me sideways...he cannot be serious! This again?" the woman scowled over Hawke's shoulder at a man who had just entered the door and, upon seeing the woman at the bar, approached while wearing a smarmy, lecherous grin.

"Ugh," the woman grimaced. She leaned in closer to Hawke conversationally. "I can explain later but if you play along and kiss me right now it'd be a huge favor to me. I'll pay you a sovereign for it."

Hawke's eyes went wide and she nodded enthusiastically. A whole gold coin, for a kiss? She’d earned less for entire days of work! And it wouldn't exactly be a hardship to kiss an exciting, dangerous lady.

"If I do something you don't particularly care for, pinch me and I'll stop," she promised quietly before pressing her mouth to Hawke's.

The kiss started intense and familiar. The woman fell back slightly against the wall and grabbed Hawke by the hips to pull their bodies flush against each other. Hawke tangled her fingers in the woman’s hair and was rewarded with a quick little tongue darting out to lick her lips and encourage her mouth open. Hawke readily complied and hummed in delight. She hadn't been kissed anywhere near this intimately since well before lothering fell. The fling with the pretty cloistered sister seemed a part of a whole other lifetime and she hadn't dared let herself think about how much she missed this kind of thing.

Hawke gasped as nimble fingers slipped under her breastplate and tunic to caress her bare skin and she eagerly slid her own hands down the other woman's body. The woman in her arms smirked against her lips and gave a low moan. The sound sent a white hot jolt through Hawke’s body and she bit at the woman’s bottom lip. She worried for a moment that she had overstepped her boundaries when the woman pulled away slightly, but seconds later there were lips against her neck, tracing a warm slow path from the tip of her ear to the place where her neck joined her shoulder and back again.

She sucked in a breath when she felt teeth gently nipping at her pulse point and would never admit that she was the source of the needy high pitched whimper that slipped out when a sturdy thigh slid between her own and pressed snugly against her core. It was an interesting experience, Hawke thought to herself as she frantically kissed every bit of bare skin that passed her mouth, to be making out with a complete stranger like a woman starved for kisses against the wall of a bar in full view of her friends and a room full of people and --maker, fuck--her little brother. Her mother would die of shame and come back to flay her if she could see her right now, but she couldn't quite bring herself to care while there was a hot, wet mouth at her throat and one hand still under her shirt, inching toward her breast band while its mate was cupping her ass through her trousers.

"Isabela?" a tentative male voice cut through the fog of heady lust in her brain. She almost whined in protest when the lips--Isabela's lips evidently-- pulled away from her.

"Now isn't really a good time for whatever ridiculous thought is about to fall out of your mouth," Isabela drawled with an annoyed little huff. "My hands are a bit full at the moment, if you hadn't noticed," she patted Hawke’s backside for good measure.

"But...what about me?" the man demanded. He did not move a muscle despite the obvious dismissal. "I made plans. Been looking forward to seeing you all week while I was out on the water."

"That's hardly my problem," Isabela said in a tone dripping with disinterest and boredom from against Hawke's neck. "I'm sure The Blooming Rose has what you want, and the girls there are even paid to tell you they've never had a better lay."

The man sputtered indignantly. "I don't want a girl from The Rose; It's you I want, and you I expect to have!"

Hawke felt Isabela tense in her arms and remembered the scene that had literally just unfolded in the bar moments before this man had entered. She chuckled softly into Isabela’s hair.

"Come on, Woman. Don’t be so difficult. Your friend can even come, too, if she wants. It'll be great!" he set a hand on each of their shoulders. In the time it took Hawke to feel indignant, annoyed, and disgusted enough that she unconsciously crackled with fade energy, Isabela had stepped out from between Hawke's body and the wall, pinned the man against the counter by the arm he'd had on Hawke, and drawn a dagger against his throat.

"For starters, do not EVER touch her, me, or anyone else who hasn't given you explicit permission again, do you understand?"

"You didn't mind it so much last time," the man sneered.

Isabella glowered. "You had my permission, then. It has been made very clear since that your advances and attention are no longer welcome. I have told you as much outright several times, and if the actual words weren't enough my actions could not have been clearer if I tattooed "fuck off, I am not interested!" across my forehead. Don't put your hands where they aren't wanted unless you'd prefer them in a jar on Corff's mantle," she said firmly. She pressed her dagger deeper into his throat. "Do you understand?"

The man squinted at her, visibly measuring how serious she was until he swallowed hard and nodded.

"Good," Isabela relaxed the hand holding the dagger a fraction of an inch. "I do not want to hear about you bothering anyone else."

"You w-won't!" he stammered.

"See that I don't," Isabela agreed amicably. "Now apologize. Like you mean it."

"’M sorry!" he said frantically. "Isabela, I'm sorry. I won't do it again."

"Fairly generic, and vague to the point that I'm not quite sure you actually know why my steel is at your neck, but I'm feeling generous so I'll allow it," Isabela shrugged. She flicked her chin toward Hawke. "Got one for her?"

“‘M sorry, Miss!”

"That's your idea of an apology?" Isabela raised an eyebrow. "Not even gonna use her name?"

"I don't..."

"A minute ago you knew her well enough to touch her and insist she accompany you to your bed. You can damn well ask the lady her _name_ , I think," Isabela said archly.

"Wh-what is your name, Miss?" the man stared at her helplessly.

"Hawke," she answered gruffly and crossed her arms over her chest.

"P-please accept my humblest apologies, Miss Hawke. I shouldn'ta touched you like that, or interrupted the pair of you...please don't let her kill me!"

Hawke shrugged noncommittally and Isabela lowered her dagger before giving him a light slap on the cheek. "Get out of here. I've got more important things to do," she grabbed Hawke by the collar and pulled her close enough to crash their lips together once again.

Hawke grinned and tilted her head back into the kiss. A few moments later the man had shuffled sheepishly away and left the tavern. Isabela pulled away and smiled serenely.

"Thanks for that, and sorry about him."

Hawke blinked for a moment, speechless. She was panting like she’d just jogged across the city. Her head was reeling from the intensity of the kiss, its abrupt end, and the fact that she could still taste the rum Isabela had been drinking and something that reminded her of the air around the docks on her lips. Heat and color rose to her cheeks as the bar patrons broke into enthusiastic applause.

"Don’t stop on our account, ladies," Varric announced with a laugh and a raised eyebrow.

"I'd say we've given the good people of The Hanged Man enough of a free show for tonight, wouldn't you, Sweet Thing?" Isabela smirked and put a finger under Hawke's chin. "However, I would be more than happy to continue this discussion upstairs in my room, with just the two of us."

"Oh, by the Maker's ass, Hawke!" Hawke, half a breath from accepting the invitation, turned, wide-eyed, to stare at a very cross Aveline who hadn’t moved from where Hawke had left her companions when she had joined Isabela. "Leandra and Gamlen are expecting you back tonight, and it is _not_ going to fall to me to explain to them where you are and what you are doing," the guardswoman threw up her hands in exasperation. "Or to _Carver_ for that matter, for goodness sake!" she gestured toward Hawke's brother, who looked mortified, and slightly green, and like he now knew entirely too much about his sister.

She frowned at them and sighed. "She’s right, unfortunately."

"Aw, now that’s a shame," Isabela pouted and batted her eyes. "Another time then, the offer stands. Surely you can at least stay for a drink or two?"

Aveline rolled her eyes, and gave Hawke a slight nod before dragging Carver over to a table in the corner while Varric waved Norah over to get their order.

"I think I can manage that," Hawke grinned. "Next time I'll leave plenty of time for fun...Assuming there is a next time, of course."

Isabela winked. "I will personally look forward to it, then," she gestured to Corff for two drinks without breaking eye contact. "I'm Isabela, by the way, as you may have heard. Formerly Captain, but without my ship, the title rings a bit hollow."

"And I'm Hawke. But you, ah, probably heard...when I told that guy."

"I may have intentionally used him to get that out of you," Isabela said with a pleased chuckle. "Two birds, one stone that way."

"So...he was your ex-boyfriend or something?" Hawke asked as she grabbed for the mug of ale.

"Who, Alden? The poor fool wishes it was that serious," Isabela shook her head with a laugh. "We slept together, once, a couple weeks back. It wasn't really one for the record books, as he wasn't an especially skilled or attentive lover, and it clearly escaped his notice that I did most of the work and I had to finish myself off after he rolled over and called it done. But apparently I was the best he's ever had and he's got a little obsessed. It would almost be sweet, if it wasn't so pathetic," Isabela shook her head again.

"Does that kind of thing happen often?" Hawke wrinkled her nose.

"Most of the time, people I bring to bed understand the boundaries," Isabela shrugged. "He'll get over it eventually, they always do. Until then I just have to keep reminding him that I'm not interested or available."

"You don't think he'll take the hint?"

Isabela laughed and then drained her mug. "That would be nice, but you know how men are; they think “no” means “yes”, and “get lost” means “take me, I'm yours”. I expect he still thinks I'm playing hard to get. But that's quite enough about Alden and his ilk. Tell me about you."

"About me?" Hawke smiled hesitantly. "Oh...there isn't very much to tell."

"Gorgeous woman with a Ferelden accent walks into a bar in Lowtown with a dwarf and two slabs of pure muscle like she owns the place, and there’s not much to tell? I'd argue that's hard to believe, even if you weren't carrying a staff I’d not hesitate to bet isn't a run of the mill walking stick."

Hawke's eyes widened in alarm and she noticed Carver and Aveline stiffen on the corner of her vision.

"Oh, relax," Isabela laughed easily. "I am not in the habit of kissing pretty girls and then telling Templars. I do rather love shiny things, but I have no use for thirty silver pieces traded for another person's freedom."

Hawke grinned and sighed with relief. She was admittedly a little reckless about her staves and using magic in the various scuffles she and her friends got into around the city, but so far the guard and Templars had left her to do her own thing since she often ended up making their jobs easier. However, she had seen enough of Kirkwall to be absolutely sure she didn't want her name and mage status brought to Templar attention outside of the context where she was being anonymously useful to them.

"It sounds like you know quite a lot about me already," she laughed.

"Only the obvious things," Isabela flirted. "And that it would be a crying shame to have a woman who kisses like that hidden away in the Gallows, of course. Tell me something I couldn't guess by looking at you."

Hawke raised an eyebrow and chuckled as her cheeks flushed a little more. "OK, um, well, I was born in Harvestmere, I have a mabari named Butterfly, and my favorite color is blue?" she laughed awkwardly. "I'm afraid I don't know what else to say."

"I suppose that's a start. But you are an interesting one, Hawke," Isabela said fondly. "And somehow you've only managed to make me more curious as to what a girl like you's doing in a place like this."

Hawke thought for a moment and shrugged. "Cooling off after a kind of hectic day of mercenary work," she admitted sheepishly.

Isabela’s eyebrow jumped up in interest. "Mercenary work? My, my, I was right. You are interesting."

"My brother and I are tired of living like refugees," Hawke said quietly. "We take what jobs we can and the ones that pay best without risking templar scrutiny are generally...less than legal and morally sound."

"In my experience, food on the table and a warm bed means more at the end of the day than knowing you obeyed the letter of the law," Isabela nodded somberly.

"Exactly," Hawke agreed wryly. "Survival comes first right now. When my family isn't living off scraps, I can afford to pick and choose the work we do."

"Forgive my bluntness, but Kirkwall doesn't really seem like the most...welcoming choice for a family of refugees. Particularly with a woman like you among them."

Hawke ran a hand through her hair. "There weren't too many options at the time. We just barely made it out of Lothering before the darkspawn overwhelmed it. My Mother had family here--we didn't know anything about how the city deals with refugees or the Templar situation or that there wasn't actually a family home or fortune anymore."

"Fortune?" Isabela raised an eyebrow. “You sure do bury the lede…”

"Not intentionally," Hawke shrugged. "It's kind of weird to think about, but my mother grew up as a nobleman's daughter. Her parents didn't like my father and disinherited her for running off with him, but she figured we at least had family and a good name to help with things here,” Hawke sighed. "Didn't count on her brother gambling away everything down to the napkins in the ancestral home either, but...well here we are," she gestured weakly.

"My ex-husband was the same way," Isabela frowned knowingly. "He had everything in the world he could want and he would still bet the shirt right off his back on a fairly regular basis right up to the day he died."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Hawke looked startled and sympathetic.

"He really wasn't worth the sympathy, but thank you," Isabela smiled wryly and drained her drink. "You want another?" she gestured to Corff.

Hawke thought for a moment. “Okay, yeah, one more,” she finished her own mug. "I should probably cut myself off after that though. Tomorrow's too important."

"Oh?" Isabela raised an eyebrow. "Why, if I may ask?"

"My brother and I are doing a little reconnaissance mission in the estate Mother grew up in, to make sure everything is as our uncle claims, see if there’s anything to salvage, get Mother some closure and her parents’ will, that kind of thing."

"Sounds exciting."

"Probably will be," Hawke shrugged. "We aren't entirely sure what we are going to have to deal with when we’re in there, so I should probably not be hung over."

"I’m sure you'd be fine, what with the way Corff waters em down after the patrons’ve had a few," Isabela laughed. "Nevertheless, I’ll always respect a lady's no, unless we've other arrangements fully discussed in place, of course," she winked.

"I'll have to remember that," Hawke grinned.

Corff slid a new mug across the counter to her. "You're taking drinks with a silver tongued viper, Serrah," he warned in a good-natured tone. “She’s a liar, she is."

"Never about liquor, Corff," Isabela laughed again.

The bartender gave her a half-hearted glower and shook his head before setting down a second mug. "Well, if that was true, about me watering down drinks, which it aint, probably says more ‘bout her coming back night after night than it would ‘bout me."

Isabela shrugged and sipped her drink. Norah came out of the kitchen and set a large bowl of stew on the counter in front of Hawke. "Complements of Messere Tethras."

"Oooh, an admirer?" Isabela cooed in delight.

"No, just Varric," Hawke smiled across the room at her friend. He smiled back and lifted his mug slightly before turning back to his conversation with Aveline and Carver.

"Oh, do you and the dwarf have a thing? I didn't realize...Although he didn’t seem to mind our little display earlier. Oooo, is he open to threesomes? Are you?" Isabela asked enthusiastically.

"I don't know what Varric is or isn't open to, but he's never implied it would include me," Hawke giggled. "We don't have a thing."

"Pity. That chest hair he's got on display is _glorious._ And dwarves generally don't disappoint in bed."

"Wouldn't know, honestly," Hawke shrugged. "He's just a friend and kind of my businesses partner. Or he will be."

"He says you’re to eat the whole thing because if you lose any more weight he en't letting you anywhere near the Deep Roads," Norah said sternly as she handed Hawke a spoon.

"Just friends?" Isabela raised an eyebrow and gave a wicked grin. "Does _he_ know that?"

"He means the actual, literal Deep Roads!" Hawke said with a nervous chuckle as her cheeks flushed. "We're going on an expedition into the Deep Roads to recover treasure and artifacts from a lost dwarven thaig," Hawke explained. "Or...we’re supposed to. Assuming I can eventually save up the fifty sovereigns to buy-in."

"Thus explaining the lack of hesitation about letting a strange woman cop a feel and slip you some tongue in a bar for a coin?" Isabela asked shrewdly.

Hawke flushed brighter and squirmed. "Maybe not the only contributing factor?"

"No worries, Sweet Thing. I'm the one who offered. I'm not judging you and I'm certainly not complaining about your enthusiasm," she stroked her fingers down Hawke's arm with a sensual smile and half-lidded eyes. "Trust me when I say I’m not judging you for treasure hunting and redistribution either."

"It could be the big break my family needs," Hawke fidgeted and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "This could change everything if we find what they think we will."

"I hope it does," Isabela said sincerely. "But I'm guessing by the stew and the instructions you're skipping meals to save the money faster?"

"I didn't think anyone would notice,” Hawke admitted. "It’s just a few meals here and there. I just...I can't keep living this way. The expedition is the last idea I've got. If everything goes according to plan, I'll either get enough money to get Mother, Carver and I a place of our own, or pay our way out of this city and start over elsewhere."

"That’s quite an ambitious goal," Isabela said gently. "Certainly noble, at any rate. But you do need to look out for your own back as well as theirs. If you get hurt or sick you'd all suffer the consequences."

"I do know that," Hawke sighed and took several bites of stew. "But we aren't far from suffering. as it is. This way helped me stretch groceries to pad the amount I have saved a lot faster than I could have otherwise."

Isabela gave her a level and calculating look. "How much of it have you for saved up? In total?"

Hawke smiled ruefully. "Not including what we earned for the job and...uh ...acquired from the marks tonight I'm at 33 gold pieces, 86 silver pieces and 14 copper pieces. So I'm getting there. Should be done or near enough to it by this time next month, Maker willing."

"And your exhibition will wait that long?"

"Yes. They can't leave until after the rainy season and even if they physically could they don't know the way without the information and guide I’ve secured and can't afford it without my financial backing," Hawke grinned, proud of herself. "I made myself as indispensable as possible while I get the rest of the money we need."

"Smart," Isabela nodded, impressed. "Just don’t run yourself into the ground doing it. You’d be missed.”

“By you?” Hawke asked hopefully.

“Among others, I expect,” Isabela said with a significant glance toward Varric, Carver, and Aveline. “But yes, that would be a terrible shame, wouldn’t it?”

“I’ll be alright,” Hawke promised.

Isabela stared at her for a long moment. “Here,” she held a gold coin up. “Your reward for that lovely little kiss earlier, as promised. And some extra you can consider a gratuity and or incentive for an encore at some as yet unspecified point in the future,” she pushed a coin purse into Hawke’s hands so fast Hawke had no idea where it had even come from.

“I can’t possibly take this much money from you!” Hawke protested immediately.

“Don’t fret, Sweet Thing, it’s not all that much,” Isabela assured her. “I took it off one of Lucky’s goons earlier, so it’s not even as if you’re putting me out. Besides,” she smiled ruefully, “if I keep it, I’ll just spend it here or at The Rose. If you take it, at least it’s going toward a good cause.”

Hawke blinked owlishly while testing the weight of the purse in her hand. “I...well, I suppose if you’re certain…?”

“Quite certain, don’t let it eat at your conscience,” Isabela promised and then smirked. “In any case, I’m sure whatever is in that pouch is less than I’d have to pay for the same over at The Rose.”

Hawke blushed and ducked her head so her bangs fell over her eyes. “Well...thank you. I appreciate it.”

“Think nothing of it, Sweet Thing,” Isabela winked. “Unless you’re thinking of it while looking to have a good time, in which case you are fully encouraged to think about me and remember me fondly.”

Hawke cleared her throat with a pleased, if slightly embarrassed, smile. “Maybe I’ll do that.”

Isabela grinned and picked up the last of her drink. “Oh, I do like you, Hawke. You’re fun. I do hope I see more of you around.”

Hawke nodded. “Well, Varric’s always inviting me for drinks or Diamondback. I usually don’t take him up on it, but, I could make it more of a habit…Maybe you could play with us, too.”

“I could do with a good challenge at cards,” Isabela agreed. “Count me in, if it’s alright with your friend.”

“We’d all be happy to have you,” Hawke said earnestly. “The more the merrier, I always say!”

“That’s always been a solid philosophy,” Isabela smiled, amused. “But...in that case, I think you’re exactly who I’ve been looking for to help me out with another problem I’ve been having with someone from my past.”

“What do you need?” Hawke asked immediately.

“A man called Hayder has been pestering me, for altogether different reasons than Alden, thankfully, but it is getting tiresome. I’ve arranged a duel with him, at midnight, as luck would have it. If I win, he leaves me alone,” she explained. “But...I don’t trust him to play fair. And I could use someone to watch my back.”

Hawke cocked her head to the side. “Why a duel?”

Isabela chuckled softly. “I like duels. It’s what I do. And if I win, he’ll be dead. Problem solved!” she said flippantly.

Hawke bit her lip for a moment. She should probably be really concerned by the fact that she wasn’t concerned by the casual way this relative stranger was talking about a man’s death, and also the fact that she didn’t even care what the duel was over. And this was probably exactly the kind of thing Varric had wanted her to avoid getting into tonight. But at the same time, she wasn’t bothered by the violence or casual murdering, and she was too wound up to go home and deal with Gamlen and her mother bickering passive aggressively at each other or think about how Bethany should be there while Carver and Butterfly tried to out-snore each other.

“I think I can manage watching your back,” she said with a flirty smile.

“I’ll bet,” Isabela chuckled. “If you’re sure you’re up to it, I’ve made arrangements to meet Hayder in Hightown. I’d appreciate your company. And maybe the dwarf and one of those delicious specimens with the swords you strolled in with tonight for good measure, if they could be persuaded. Even if it turns out we don’t need them they are pretty to look at with all that muscle, aren’t they?”

Hawke grimaced. “Not really? Aveline’s like a sister to me and I was there when Carver was born and before he was toilet trained so…”

Isabela shrugged. “All the more eye candy for me, then. Do you suppose any of them would be up to it?”

Hawke considered. “Carver’s almost always down for a fight but I can’t speak for Varric or Aveline without asking. Aveline might not be into it; she’s got early morning drills at the barracks and I’ve had her out all day.”

“A huge group’s probably not all that smart an idea anyway. I don’t want it to look like I’m too worried, after all!” Isabela smirked.

“I’ll go ask Varric and Carver then,” Hawke said decisively. “Hopefully you won’t even need us at all, but it can’t hurt to have a party if things go pear-shaped.”

“Exactly,” Isabela agreed.

“And who knows, maybe if it goes well we could make it a regular thing,” Hawke suggested with a hopeful smile. “I saw you take down those guys earlier; you look pretty handy in a fight yourself,” she fidgeted with a loose strand of hair nervously. “If you’d like to pick up a few odd jobs with us around the city.”

Isabela considered it for a moment. “I don’t generally work with children or animals. But apart from that, assuming all goes well with Hayder tonight, I think I could be up for a little excitement now and again, sure.”

“I’ll go talk to the boys then,” Hawke said enthusiastically. “Be right back.”

“Don’t rush, Sweet Thing,” Isabela chuckled. She leaned in and pressed a kiss to Hawke’s lips. “I think I’ll go get a head start and case the situation out a bit, see if I can get a handle on anything before I officially announce my presence. You can meet me up in the Hightown Market, or not, if you change your mind.”

“I’ll be there,” Hawke assured her earnestly. “Even if Carver and Varric don’t want to come, I’m not one to make empty promises.”

“Here’s to the start of a very interesting friendship, then,” Isabela smirked and gave one last quick but intense kiss as a parting gift. She stood up and gave a mock salute to a slightly dazed Hawke as she sauntered toward the tavern door.

Hawke watched her go with a small smile and the sense that everything as she knew it was about to change.

**Author's Note:**

> So confession time!
> 
> I am mostly positive there was a prompt that got me started on this (something along the lines of quick make out with me so I don't have to deal with my ex)...but I cannot for the life of me remember who or where it's from. It could be Tumblr or the kinkmeme or even my sister. Normally I write these things down, but for this ONE time I did not and so I can't properly tag or dedicate this. I can only hope it's found by the intended audience and enjoyed regardless.
> 
> Thank you for reading, I'd love to hear what you think.


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